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CC - CONSENT ITEM: Approval of a Five-Year Professional Services Agreement with Shield Telehealth Medical Services to Provide In-House Medical Service Provisions for Arrestees (Pre-Booking Medical Clearances) and Manage the Police Department’s Naloxone HCI (Narcan) Program in an Amount Not-To-Exceed $504,000.
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Meeting Date: June 23, 2025
Contact Person/Dept.: Captain Luis Martinez/Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6391
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (06/19/2025)
Department Approval: Police Chief Jason Sims (06/02/2025) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a five-year professional services agreement with Shield Telehealth Medical Services to provide in-house medical service provisions for arrestees (pre-booking medical clearances) and manage the Police Department’s Naloxone HCI (Narcan) Program in an amount not-to-exceed $504,000.
BACKGROUND
The Culver City Police Department (CCPD) is required to provide medical services to arrestees known to have, or who are declaring, medical issues or injuries prior to booking and housing in the CCPD jail. Additionally, CCPD routinely requires medical services in the form of blood draws for those arrested for DUI or being under the influence of a controlled substance. Arrestees requiring pre-booking medical clearance, medical care, or blood draws are transported by police officers to local hospitals. The cost of the hospital emergency room visit is borne by CCPD. Arrestees may also require follow-up medical treatments for wound care or the dispersal of medicine, which require additional police transport. Transporting arrestees places a burden on CCPD’s patrol personnel and takes away valuable time from responding to the community’s public safety needs.
The agreement with Shield Telehealth Medical Services will include pre-booking medical clearances provided to arrestees who exhibit or complain of medical conditions that police personnel are unable or unqualified to administer treatment. Additional medical services include blood draws taken from persons arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), the testing of arrestees and employees for communicable diseases, and the oversight and management of CCPD’s Naloxone (Narcan) Program. Under the agreement, all medical services will be administered by experienced, licensed medical personnel under the supervision of a licensed emergency care physician. Shield Telehealth will also provide medically certified personnel on an on-call basis, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. After being called by the Police Department, Shield Telehealth members will respond to the City jail and provide arrestees with immediate medical treatment.
As previously mentioned, arrestees can be transported to local hospitals by police officers when they require pre-booking medical clearance to receive medical care or to submit blood samples during DUI investigations. It is not uncommon for officers to spend hours with an arrestee in an emergency room waiting for booking clearance, which ultimately takes away valuable time from Police personnel in responding to pending calls for service in the community. As such, the transportation of arrestees to local hospitals can be time-consuming and costly.
Staff estimates that the use of a Medical Services provider, such as Shield Telehealth, saves patrol officers approximately 600 hours of field time on an annual basis, directly resulting in a positive impact on CCPD’s ability to respond to calls for service in the field as well as addressing overtime expenditures.
DISCUSSION
In March 2025, a Request for Proposal (“RFP”) #2605 was published to solicit responses from qualified vendors to provide in-house medical service provisions for arrestees (pre-booking medical clearances) and manage the Police Department’s Naloxone HCI (Narcan) Program. The City received two proposals in response to the RFP.
After reviewing the proposals submitted, staff determined both vendors understand the scope of work and are qualified and experienced providing medical services. Shield Telehealth Medical Services provided the lowest proposed cost.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 includes $100,800 for in-house medical services for arrestees in Account No. 10140200.619800 (CCPD Operating Bureaus - Other Contractual Services). This account can be found in the Police Services section of the budget book under Operating Bureaus operating and maintenance expenditures. The proposed agreement of $100,800 per year will be effective July 1, 2025, for a five-year term. The funding for future years of this agreement will be requested during the annual budget process for future fiscal years.
MOTION(S):
That the City Council:
1. Approve a five-year professional services agreement with Shield Telehealth Medical Services to provide in-house medical services provisions for arrestees (pre-booking medical clearances), as well as DUI blood draws and manage the Police Department’s Naloxone (Narcan) Program in an amount not-to-exceed $504,000; and
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.